Tuesday, September 8, 2009

The Dangers of the Desk Job

If you're like me and a large percentage of the working population that have desk jobs, we spend long hours sitting and starring at a computer screen. This unnatural posture, caused by improper sitting, results in increased neck, mid and lower back, shoulder, and leg pain. In particular, sitting for long periods of time causes your hips to be flexed for a prolonged period. Also, there is a tendency for the shoulders and head to fatigue under the constant influence of gravity which leads to rounding of the head and shoulders. If typing is a large part of your job, carpal tunnel syndrome, a painful progressive condition caused by compression of a key nerve in the wrist, might also be imminent. So, we know we still have to work, what should we do?

Having your body in alignment is the key to neuromuscular efficiency, the ability of the nervous system to communicate effectively with the muscular system. In order to do this, you have to work on fixing any postural distortions you might already have. (Shameful plug: get a free fitness assessment at Core!). Some of these distortions include having your feet turn out uncontrollably during a squat, shoulder elevation during a seated chest press, and an excessive forward lean when walking on the treadmill, just to name a few*. Once you've done the stretches and exercises to fix any distortions, you can properly train. This will prevent injury and keep you from placing more stress on joints and muscles that are not properly aligned.

In the meantime, try these tips that will help prevent postural distortions.

Get up and stretch every hour (or more frequent if possible), especially your hips and wrists!

Get an ergonic office chair, keyboard and mouse to keep your hands and back in a natural position.

Ladies, try and refrain from crossing your legs at your desk, but do try sitting closer to the edge of your seat to keep your posture.